It is known that, in the field of medicine intended for the diagnosing of specific maladies, as in a hospital, it is required to analyze considerable numbers of samples in such manner that analysis by medical technicians is no longer readily available in view of labor costs and also in view of lack of qualified personnel.
There have already been proposed a number of devices permitting the analysis of a plurality of liquid samples. Known are, for example, devices comprising a plurality of compartments each of which contains a reagent appropriate for the analysis which it is desired to effect and into which the liquid to be analyzed is introduced successively with the aid of, for example, a pipette. The non-simultaneous introduction of the liquid into the various compartments has, however, the consequence that the reactions taking place in each compartment start at different instants, corresponding to the contacting of the liquid and the reagent, in such manner that, since the reaction commences immediately, "grouping" of a series of analyses to effect processing thereof with the aid of an automatic device, for example, is practically impossible.
The problem involved in simultaneity in respect of initiation of the reactions is partly solved by devices of the type described in German published patent application (Offenlegungeschrift) No. 2,347,173 published April 18, 1974 which comprises a chamber in which the liquid to be analyzed is stored, a plurality of compartments each containing an appropriate reagent, and means for effecting simultaneous flow of the liquid to be analyzed from the chamber into each of the compartments. This means is for example a plurality of check valves or diaphragms rendered permeable due to application of a pressure difference. However, the presence of such means contributes to complicating these devices.
There is also known from German published patent application (Auslegeschrift) No. 2,028,822 published August 7, 1969 a liquid analysis device comprising a plurality of tubular compartments each divided by transverse diaphragms into a plurality of superposed chambers, each of the chambers containing an appropriate pre-stored reagent or solvent, and the compartments or containers being connected together at their lower portion in such manner as to form a common chamber. The liquid to be analyzed is introduced through the upper aperture of one of the compartments, whereas the transverse diaphragms are successively perforated in such manner as to permit the reaction to commence, the reaction products then falling into the lower common chamber where the analysis itself is effected by optical means. Such a device, apart from its complicated aspect, permits only one single analysis at a time on the sample.